RWBY: Ripples
by nphillips0115
Summary: What happened at the Vytal Festival had more profound affects on the world than anyone realizes. With ancient evils beyond anything most knew existed awakening from the ripples of those fateful nights, can Team RWBY and the remnants of team JNPR hope to stop them?
1. Prologue 1

WBY is property of Roosterteeth. Any Original Characters I make though, are mine.

Ripples: Prologue Part 1 One

 _Rumble_

In the world of Remneant, four great kingdoms had experienced an unprecedented time of peace, free from the fear of the creatures of Grimm.

 _Rumble  
_  
Until today. Now, due a devastating set of events at the Vytal Festival, the peace was beginning to break.

 _Rumble  
_  
Fear and darkness had come back to the world, and wherever darkness went, so came the Grimm.

/

' _What is... Happening?'_ Thought a confused voice

In the ruins of Mountain Glenn, something was waking up. It was, quite obviously, a Grimm, but unlike any ever seen before. It was, well big, for one thing, but right now, at night, it was hard to see what it looked like.

' _Why is there... So much... Fear.'  
_  
The voice, or rather, the voice of the thoughts of the Grimm, were lost, confused, weary and... Scared?

 _'Has... The master... Returned?'_ It wondered.

 _'Or.. Has the time come... Where those ancient shadows... Will return... Finish... What they... Started?'_

 _(Scene change)  
_  
Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of Atlas, keen viewers were watching the source of the fear unfold.

According to broadcasts, Yang Xiao Long of Beacon had attacked Mercury Black of Haven for no reason, breaking his leg.

The fallout was immediate. Grimm attacks on Vale surged as people questioned why one Hunter would try to harm another after having already defeated their opponent. Opportunistic businessmen took the chance to cash in on the horror and convince citizens to buy their wares, in preparation for the Grimm attacks that were likely to begin soon.

One businessman, however, was busy with something else.

Specifically, he was going over the footage of the attack.

' _That huntress-Yang, if memory is correct-stopped and tensed just before before attacking him. Was she under some kind of illusion?'  
_  
"Sir?"

"What?!" Replied the man, snapped out of his thoughts.

"The board wishes to meet in two days. They want to discuss the recent turn of events and are considering several charity events to assist in."

"Charity? NOW?! After what just happened at the Vytal Festival?"

" _Because_ of what is happening at the festival. They believe that we should... Re-evaluate some of our practices now that our... Global situation has changed."

"...Alright. Tomorrow evening, then. But I would like to see the festival's next match. We need to be sure things have settled down before we make any moves"

"Agreed"

With that, the woman, who happened to be a secretary, left, leaving her boss to ponder the events of the last match.

 _(Scene change)  
_  
Meanwhile, in Mistral, a man was also thinking about the last match.

"So, a student is injured by another for no reason, right after a match ends? Someone must have set that girl up."

Then, he smiled, albeit very eerily.

"Looks like the time to act is now."

( _Scene change)  
_  
In Vacuo, a woman shared his thoughts.

"We need to act, soon, because I don't think this is over. Not yet."

( _Scene change)  
_  
Finally, in an airship just outside Vale, another man pondered what had happened. Unlike the others, he had heard rumors that had hinted at what was really going on.

"So the black queen makes her move. While red is reeling, gold gathers power, so as to strike when red but a turn from check. I can only hope now that white moves first, before black deals the death blow.

-

AN: Alright, this is one story I've been waiting awhile to do. Now, I started posting this on Spacebattles shortly after episode 6 of Volume 3 aired, but I never really got around to updating it much beyond the prologue. Now, Iwant to change that, BIG TIME, so I'm putting it up now.

This will take place in an alternate universe, and expect divergences to pop up soon. I know I have a lot of ground to cover, but what they heck?

Ok, all that is done, so read and review. As much as I'd like OCs, it's way too early for those, so no requests please.

This is Flameal15k, signing off.


	2. Prologue 2

(The next day)

 _'The fear... Has yet... To fade.'  
_  
Now, the great thoughts of the old Grimm had become clearer.

The great Grimm was confused, though. Why generate so much terror, then choose not to capitalize on it? IT MADE NO SENSE. No fool of a dustling would cause this terror without some goal in mind. Yet the ancient one felt no hidden thoughts beneath the fear. Through time, he had learned to find human emotions, sense a well hidden motive for a grand scheme, but here? There was nothing.

' _Why make so much fear, when one does not...'  
_  
Then the Grimm sensed something. It was fear, as was before, but now, it was mixed... With... Anger. Rage. Paranoia. Malice. And, most surprisingly, satisfaction.

' _... Oh ,'_ thought the ancient one,' _this is what that fear was for. It was to provide a beacon for us.'  
_  
The ancient sensed its kin massing to attack Vale. With this, it realized that this was the reason for all of the fear. A dustling had wanted the Grimm to come. Why, though? Didn't these humans care about their own? They always seemed to band together when faced with hordes of the Grimm. True, individuals would try to sell out their allies in the (false) hope that the tide of black and white would spare them, but by and large most humans stood together. So why cause all of this carnage and divide people?

' _Whatever the reason one of the dustlings had tried to shatter the others, it matters now. Now, they will all fall..'_

 _(Scene change)  
_  
In Atlas, the reactions to the next tournament match were... Interesting, to say the least.

' _... That's two accidents in this tournament. Something is up.'  
_  
Then came the speech. Sweet heavens, the speech. There, the speaker decried the academies, militaries and governments for their actions, which were, rather obviously, sowing the seeds of discontent across the world.

' _I can't help but feel that that woman has a point. But I'm also very sure she caused this mess.'  
_  
"Sir?"

"Yes?"

"The board has just requested that we... Well, do something to help Vale."

"Why?" He asked, confused. It wasn't like them to act this early. After all, they usually waited until after a disaster happened before stepping in.

'No doubt to line their own pockets,' thought the man. While he was just as guilty of doing so as his compatriots, he did feel a little bad doing so.

Not that he knew why.

"They are worried that the Grimm will attack at any moment and are suggesting we ready for potential refugees."

"...Alright, do it. How about food and blankets for all the potential refugees, plus toys for kids?"

"That is acceptable."

 _'And expensive'_ he thought. Though, strangely, that didn't bother him.

"Anything else?"

"Something strong to drink.

"Alright, I'll head to the coups first and then to your wine collection."

"Remind me to thank the guy who forced me to train carrier pigeons for the unlikely chance the CCT failed"

"Will do"

( _Scene change, in Mistral)  
_  
"So, this is what yesterday was leading up to... Well, I like it. I have GOT to meet the person who set this up."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

( _In Vacuo)  
_  
'Oh crap, this is way beyond bad. Now what can we do.'

( _In Vale)_

 _"_ Now, all the actors are in place. The stage is set for a new battle."  
"Those hunters will need a miracle now."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx

AN: Read and review. This is Flameal15k, signing off.


	3. Prologue 3

Here's the third chapter.

 _'So, it begins.'  
_  
The great Grimm could sense the terror that had been unleashed. As it felt the fear and negativity coming its way, it also determined its source. One of the dustlings had slain another when they were play fighting. This was after another had grievously injured a fourth dustling the previous day. To the great Grimm, this reeked of foul play by a fifth dustling, yet it could not reason a motive.

' _Why were they fighting each other. This is pointless?'  
_  
Then the old Grimm thought back to what one of the younger ones had told it. Specifically, a young Goliath had informed it that one of the four greatest humans of the current generation had been attacked by another. That was odd, for no human ever did so, simply because it had no benefit for the aggressor. What could they hope to gain from defeat these... Maidens.?.

Then it learned of the glove.

Long ago, man had tried to take the power of the Grimm, before dust was discovered, in order to survive. That had failed, as the shadowed had proved, but artifacts from that age remained. The glove was based upon one, designed to steal an aura and transfer its powers to another. But why was it ...

' _Rumble/tremble'_

 _'What the ..?'_

 _'Rumble BANG'_

 _'... Oh dear, he's waking up'_

 _...  
_  
Meanwhile, in Atlas, things were getting worse.

"Why is all of our long distance communication dependent on the CCT. WHY IS ALL OF OUR MACHINERY DEPENDENT ON DUST?! I have people who are probably panicking right now but can't even give me an exact answer there because THE CCT IS BEING HIJACKED!"

"I am aware of that sir, but now is not the time to lose calm-"

' _RRRRRAAAAAWWWWWWRRRRRRR'_

The two turned back to the television.

"... I take back what I said, sir, you can lose calm now.

...

Not everyone was unhappy about the events in Vale. Some were ecstatic.

"Oh man this is awesome. I have got to see how this ends."

...

Others were not.

"oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, someone needs to act now, who is responsible for this!?"

...

And lastly, some were very worried by how things had turned out, but we're also calmer about managing their shock.

"Well, now black has gone on the attack. I do hope red can recover in time."

...

Read and review. I'll explain who these people are later in the story, but for now, they ill mostly be description less.


	4. Prologue 4

_'So, this is what they wanted.'_

The great Grimm had felt the destruction that had raged in the kingdom of vale. The fear, destruction, death, anger and sorrow that had ensued allowed the great one to feel the devastation that was occurring within the kingdom walls.

Yet it could not understand why. Even if the horror was made to attract the Grimm, then what? There was no reason to use the Grimm as weapons on this scale. Did the dustlings not real use that, now that the Grimm had gained momentum, they would press their attack on everyone else?

Then it felt IT. A surge of energy leaving one soul and entering another. And though the great Grimm could not observe it, he knew what had happened.

The maiden whose powers had been stolen had died. With it, her power went to the last woman she thought of. And the great Grimm knew that that must have been the one who had killed her.

Whatever happened now, the Great Grimm had a feeling that, for the dustlings that opposed the new maiden, the last light of hope was fading very fast.


	5. Prologue 5

Here's the final part of the Prologue.

 ** _XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx_**

' _So, this is how it ends.'_

It had only been a few minutes since the great surge of strength had occurred, but already things had rapidly changed. The Great Grimm had sensed a massive surge of strength mere seconds after the surge had ended; clearly, a fast paced battle had occurred.

Then, a relative silence had ensued. Yet it did not last.

Soon, it felt another battle occur. This time, it recognized the combatants. Grimm who lived long enough could sense the power and nature of souls, and with them, the infinitesimal differences in the souls of each and every individual on Remnant. With its age and power, the Great Grimm could tell after only a slight glimpse at the trace of a dustling's soul whose soul it was, if it had met them before.

So it was that the Great Grimm realized that the person now fighting the ... Fall Maiden was one who had been present when the maiden had received her powers.

The carnage that ensued was ... stunning to say the least. It sensed the battle of flames vs. magnetism, with neither combatant giving the other any quarter.

It sensed the great one assist the maiden against its... no, _her_ foe.

And, above all, it sensed the end of the weaker dustling.

Despite its grudge against humanity, the Great Grimm could not help but feel sad at the dustling's demise. Perhaps it was because the fight had been so close, or perhaps it was because of the defeated's **_brutal_** death.

But that was quickly forgotten with what happened next.

Another dustling, the fallen's friend, based on its reaction to its comrades death, had been reduced to tears. Then...

Well, the Great Grimm had no way of describing what happened next, beyond their being a sense of **_OVERWHELMING POWER!  
_**  
... Perhaps the Great Grimm was wrong. It had sensed, no, it had **SEEN** this power before. It simply lacked any way to describe its affects in any meaningful way.

' _So, at long last, a silver eyed one has arisen? One of the ones the master had shown special interest in had emerged',_ thought the old grimm.  
 _  
'Well, if it has, I must inform the others. It may be time to take to the field once more.'  
_  
With that, the old grimm...

No.

It was not an old grimm.

It was not _the_ old grimm.

Over time, it had regained its memories since before it had gone into slumber, and now it found the last, most important memory it had.

Its name.

 _'I am Etherion, and I must wake the others.'_

A few days had passed since the incident at the Vytal Festival had ended. The threat had been contained, though Beacon had been lost to the Grimm. With this in mind, several parents had gone to personally recover their children from vale

Which brings us to where we are now.

"Well, I guess it is time to go."

"indeed it is, sir."

The secretary eyed her employer for a moment. He was sharply dressed, as always.

"Must you always be so flamboyant?"

"Yes."

"...Smartass."

"Ha, ha."

"So, then, how long do you think it will take to find your daughter."

"Not too long, I hope. Though I doubt that parting with her friends will be easy."

"It never is."

"I know. When we land, please remain here."

"Yes sir. And good luck."

"Thanks."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

While one man headed toward the fallen kingdom to seek his child, others began moving pieces in a game far greater than any could imagine. Armies began to mobilize, machines left to rust whirred to life, and hordes of grimm began moving to ancient lands, searching for something for answers to questions long forgotten.

And, silently, within a land forgotten to man, an ancient beast, having spent many years wandering, felt that soon, it would be needed once more.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Okay, prologue is over and story proper will begin next chapter.

Be advised: canonical characters may have their personalities altered in minor or major ways to facilitate the plot. I hope you are comfortable with that.

Read and review. This is Flameal15k, signing off.


End file.
